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Board approves posting Ed-Flex waiver to widen paraprofessional hiring options
Summary
The board approved posting an Ed-Flex waiver and applying to the state to allow the district greater flexibility in hiring paraprofessionals—including hiring first and having them take the para‑pro exam or using an associate degree/experience to qualify—while maintaining interview and vetting practices.
Tammy explained an Ed-Flex waiver the district plans to post and submit to the Indiana Department of Education that would give Greensburg Community Schools more flexibility in how it hires teaching assistants and paraprofessionals. Under the waiver, the district could hire candidates who will complete the para-professional exam after being hired or consider an associate degree or relevant experience as qualifying criteria in some cases.
Tammy said the waiver is intended to help fill positions in the district’s Title I schools, where all paraprofessionals must be deemed "highly qualified." She emphasized that the district will continue to interview and vet candidates and that the waiver only changes hiring pathways, not basic candidate screening.
The board moved and seconded a motion to post the waiver on the district website and to proceed with the application to the state; the motion passed per the meeting record.
Why it matters: District officials said low pay and staffing challenges have made it hard to retain paraprofessionals. The waiver is designed to expand the pool of eligible candidates and speed hiring while preserving local vetting.
What’s next: The waiver will be posted on the district website as a required public step before formal submission to the state Department of Education.
